Means for draining liquid from well tubing



P. H. GRANGER MEANS FOR DRAINING LIQUIKD FROM WELL TUBING Oct. 6, 1931.

' Filed Jan. 3o,

m ENTOR. Paa/ @W7/@eff A TTORNEYS Patented Oct. 6, 1,931

, UNITED ySTATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL H. GRANGER, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA Application filed January 30, 1930. Serial No. 424,469.

This invention relates to a well tubing bleeder or means forl drainingliquid from well tubing, and the main object of the in- V vention is toprovide means whereby the '6 liquid contained in an oil stringl or welltubing through which the oil or other liquid is pumped can be drainedback into the well when the string of tubing is to be raised out of thewell.

In the operation of wells such as deep oil wells, there is a column ofliquid generally of great height extending upwardly from the workingbarrel to the top of the oil string or well tubing. In case it isnecessary l to withdraw theoil string fromthe well for any reason, `thisbody of liquid is raised with the tubing, it being understood that underthese conditions the standing valve i at the bottom of the workingbarrelremains 2@ closed so that theV oil is prevented from running out. Insuch withdrawalof kthe oil string from the well, it is customary touncouple the tubing in stands of certain length and as each stand isuncoupled fromthe 25 string, the oil contained in suchA stand runs outfrom the stand, flowing and spattering over the operating platform andsurrounding parts, causing great inconvenience and AM considerabledanger to the operators on accountof the slippery nature of the oil.

My invention provides for bleeding or draining off the oil or liquidfrom the oil string or well tubing before the same is elevated andVremoved from the well, thereby doing away with the difficulty above re--ferred to.

The accompanying drawings illustrate vembodiments of my invention andreferring thereto: '40 Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the tubingbleeder in normal or inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device in operated position.

Fig. 3 is an enlargedl section of the catch means used to control theoperation of the bleeder, the same being shown in position correspondingto that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4.is a view similarto Fig. 3 showing the parts in positioncorresponding to that of 50 Fig. 2.' W

Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the means shown in Fig. 3.

6 is a section on line 6 6 in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section online 7-7 inFig. 4.

vThe tubing bleeder constituting my inveno5 tion is adapted and intendedto be attached valve.

My invention comprises a tubular body 6 which is secured tothe lower end of the perforate section y4 aforesaid by means of a coupling 7 and hassecured thereto by means of 70 a coupling 8 a length of tubing 9 whichis adapted to extend nearly to the bottom of the well when the workingbarrel is in operating position. A valve operating means consisting of arod 10 extends within the members 4, 75 6 and 9 and is provided at itslower end with a cross b ar or other means 11 for engaging with thebottom of the well as hereinafter described and is adapted to engage themovable member or ballof the standing valve 2 to 80 raise the `same 0Hits seat lunder certain conditions as hereinafter explained. Rod 1() maybe provided with cross pin 13 engaging in the slots 14 in the tubing 9to guide and limit the motion of saidrod and catch or clutch'means aremounted on said rod and within the member 6 for coupling or connectingthe'said rod to said member 6 under certain conditions as hereinafterset forth so as to hold the valve ylifting means in raised position. Theclutch means for connecting the rod 10 with the tube 6 may comprise amember 15 screwing into the member 6. and having a square opening 16through .which'a squared portion 17 of the rod may slide, said 95 member15 being secured thereon or formed therewith. Bearing means 18 extendingupwardly on opposite sides of the rod portion 17 and formed respectivelywitlihorizontal slots 19 in which slide dogs or catch members 100 20,the inner ends of which are adapted to engage under certain conditionsunder shoulders 21 on the rod portions 17, said shoulders being, forexample, constituted by the upper edges of notches 22 formed on oppositesides of said rod portions 17.

A movable clutch.member24 ismounted to slide onthe rodportion V17'byineans-of a squared opening 25 on said member 24 and has securedthereto and formed thereon downwardly extending projections 27 iprovidedwith inclined faces 2S on the inside thereof adapted to engagevtheouter'endsof the respective slidingdogs 20 to force the same inwardly,the said outer ends of said slidindogs being-preferably inclined inleorrespondence with the inclinationfof the operating faces-28 -soas toprovidean:effective bearinglior en gagement therewith. In orderAtoiretainthe dogsin position on vthe-supporting member 18,*.each dogmay be provided with a 'horizontal slot 30 :through lwhich vpassesa ipin 31 on the supporting :means .'18 and said-slot 30,-may havealepression 32 at f u I its-outer end'for,theipurposevofzretaining the.dog .in operated position when it.has `been operated inwardly. The.movable clutch 1neinber-24 i-s.normall v held-in elevated posi- 'tion:relative to the clutch member 15 by means ofspringsfi'interposedbetween said clutch members, said springs surrounding .and 4heilig'supported b v .bolts 736 which are secured to the member y15 and pass:through .openings inithe upper member 24. Nuts37 `on saidbolts engagethe upper Clutch member 24 -to flimit ythe upward vfm ovement thereof.

:The operation ofthe device is as follows: hen the 'oil string: andworking barrel i are .lowered yinto -the well with the iparts abovedescribed attached thereto, and when -the means11abthe bottomofatherrod10 reaches xfthe:bottom of the well itfarreststhe further down movementof said rod-'and :furtherloweringfof the oil-string. andworkingibarrel-.will :cause 'the standing Avalve to 'be opened by-operationfoffsaid rod. It will,.therefore,..be understood fthat ftheoil. string Land the parts supported thereby will 'normally .be raisedsomewhat -so that Vthe parts are 'allowed to assumetherposition shown inFig. Land-the standingvalve .isithereforezclosed. The oil string Vcan'be raised or rloweredras oftenas Vdesired 'without'operatingthe clutchmeans above described, provided that the level of .the liquid intheoilstringisfnothigherthan thelevel oi'xthe liquid wlithin the welloutside the .oil string. this being 'the normal ^eondi- `tion before'the pump is set iin operation. 'When `the working 'barrel -has been.put into operation .and .the oil string rfor 'string of tubing has.been iilled with foil or liquid lin the .normal pumping foperation andit is `ydesired to remove "the yoil `string or lstring of tubing ytromthe well, .the "said string is first lowered so as to bring'zthe means11 .in Aoontact with the bottom of the well and in the ensuing downwardmovement of the string of tubing to cause the parts to move to theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

In movement to such elevated position the rod 10 raises the movablemember or ball of thestanding valve as shown in `Fig. 2,.there byopening .the standingvalveand allowing the liquid in the oil string orstring of tubing to flow down rapidly past the standing valve .and outthrough :the perforated section 4. This rapid downward flow of theliquid and the deflection Ithereof outwardly from the `tubing causesdownward pressure of the operating member '24 of the clutch means,.causing said.uppei-elutch-member to move downwardly against theresistance of .the .springs y.55 yand .bringing 1.the inclined faces .28inengagement withv the-outer endsofthe dog or catch-means 20 solastoliorce thelatter inwardlyto:position showniin Fig. '4 so thattheir innerends .engage ontofthe shoulders21 on ktheuodportions l17 tand hold therod portions 17 and rod 10 in position ato retain fthe standing Avalveinopen fposition.

The oilstringmay then'be withdrawn irom .the 'well being elevated and.uncoupled a stand ata time .without any.eiili1xzof-oil or tliquid .fromtherespective standsastheyzare .being uncoupled= or removed.

.lnorder toleepthe clutching device. above describedelear ofsand ordirt, itis preferred .to provide :the clutch operating Imembers 15 and.24 with perforationsBS through which a portioniofzthe fluid .maypassaathigh .veloeity soas tosweepanyfsand or other-solid ,material awayfrom suclrparts.

IIrelaim:

1. Incombination witlr awell tubingstring Yand aV working barrel. atfthe`lower* end-.tlieie oh-said workingbarrel being provided with .a,standing Avalve, tubular imeans attached .to the lower end .oftheworking barrel, a valve .operating imember imovably .mounted Within saidtubular means-and :provided at its 4lower end with means forzengaging-inthe bottom of the well 'to'.elevatefsaid means :relative :to .the:standing valve, said .valve operating ymeans -:being adapted lto engage.the lmovable .member of fthestanding valve when sofelevated so as toopen the standing valvecatch :means :for holding said valve.operating'member -in'raised position and ainember movably mounted belowthe standing valve aand ladapted to fbe operated by -outflow of liquidfromthe standing valveand adapted to operate said vcatch -means Atoposition for holding the valve operating member :in raised posi- `tionto retain the standing valve :in open gposition.

2. A 'drainingmeans for ast-ring of well tubing comprising a-tu'bularmember adapted .for attachment .to the working barrel at the lower 4endAof suclrstring of ,Well tubing, sa valve operating member verticallymovable in said tubular means and provided at its lower end with meansfor engaging the bottom of the well to elevate said valve oper.- atingmeans relative to the tubular member, said valve operating means beingadapted to engage and lift the movable member of the standing valve ofthe working barrel and so elevate it, a clutch member mounted withinsaid tubular member and provided with dogs adapted to engage theaforesaid shoulder on said valve operating member, and a clutchoperating member mounted to slide vertically within said tubular memberand adapted to operate said dog to move same into engagement to saidshoulders, said clutch operating means being adapted to be operated bythe down How of liquid past the standing valve when said standing' valveis open, such downflow of liquid being due to difference in level of theliquid within and outside of the tubing.

3. In combination with well tubing and standing valve means at the lowerend thereof, valve operating means movably mounted on the tubing andadapted to engage the bottom of the well so as to cause the valveoperating means to move upwardly with respect to the well tubing whenthe tubing is lowered from normal position, said valve operatingmeansfbeing adapted to lift and open the standing valve when so movedupwardly with respect to the well tubing and means responsive to flow ofliquid from the tubing, when the standing valve is opened, to engage thevalve operating means so as to hold the standing valve in open position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day ofJanuary,

PAUL H. GRANGER.

